Judas
noun
the disciple who betrayed Jesus in the New Testament.
Judas
American
[joo-duhs]
/ ˈdʒu dəs /
noun
-
Judases
plural
-
Also called Judas Iscariot. the disciple who betrayed Jesus in the New Testament.
-
a person treacherous enough to betray a friend; traitor.
-
Also called Saint Judas, Saint Jude. one of the 12 apostles of Jesus (not Judas Iscariot).
-
(in the Bible) a brother of James (and possibly of Jesus).
-
Also called judas hole. Usually judas a peephole, as in an entrance door or the door of a prison cell.
adjective
Judas
1
British
/ ˈdʒuːdəs /
noun
-
Full name: Judas Iscariot. New Testament the apostle who betrayed Jesus to his enemies for 30 pieces of silver (Luke 22:3–6, 47–48)
-
a person who betrays a friend; traitor
-
a brother or relative of James and also of Jesus (Matthew 13:55). This figure, Thaddaeus, and Jude were probably identical
adjective
judas
2
British
/ ˈdʒuːdəs /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of judas
C19: after Judas Iscariot
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The cult star promised covers of metal staples like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, as well as "a few originals forged in the same cosmic fire."
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
In 2 Maccabees, Judas Maccabeus offers prayers for the dead—meaningful only if the soul can be aided after death—but Protestants typically consider the book extracanonical.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
Coincidentally, his breakout role came in 2016 when he landed the co-lead as Judas in “Jesus Christ Superstar” at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2025
But we’ve never seen one like this before: A Judas kiss that went straight to the heart and shattered their deepest convictions.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2025
To a Karhider reading our canons, the crime of Judas lies not in his betrayal of Christ but in the act that, sealing despair, denies the chance of forgiveness, change, life: his suicide.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Anon a tiny judas in the gate was cautiously pushed open, and a peremptory voice once again challenged the midnight intruder.
From El Dorado, an adventure of the Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy
There were stealthy steps within, with a movement of yellow light, and then a voice that Mr. Wogan knew very well came through a judas.
From Parson Kelly by Andrew Lang
Then a slide would slyly uncover a little brass "judas," disclosing a little, black, hard eye.
From Mlle. Fouchette A Novel of French Life by Charles Theodore Murray
Soon he heard a soft grating behind the judas, and he felt—more than he saw—that a pair of eyes were peering at him from within.
From The Laughing Cavalier The Story of the Ancestor of the Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy
A quivering voice came at the last from behind the iron judas in the door.
From The Laughing Cavalier The Story of the Ancestor of the Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy
Along the way, he encounters revolutionaries, tyrants, false prophets and actual Judases — not to mention a string of passionate lovers.
From New York Times ● Mar. 6, 2023
Several productions have featured female Judases — an added layer of psychological complexity.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 30, 2018
These were promptly denounced as turncoats and Judases by Peasant Leader Maniu but remained silent on their dignity.
From Time Magazine Archive
Well, anyhow, those miserable men things around that stove just smiled at Uncle Tony like so many Judases and all commenced talking at once.
From Green Valley by Katharine Reynolds
It is no wonder the children save up their money for Good Friday so that they can buy numbers of Judases.
From Little Folks of North America Stories about children living in the different parts of North America by Mary Hazelton Blanchard Wade
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
